A Canada/U.K. coproduction, reported to be the biggest-budget feature in the history of the New Brunswick film industry, has gone down.

Bonny Boys, produced by Tim Hogan of Moncton-based Dream Street Pictures (Canada Russia ’72) and U.K. producers Robert Sidaway and Ashley Sidaway (Joy Division, Nouvelle-France), shut down on Oct. 31. It was to have gone to camera this week, but ceased production when female lead Rachel Blanchard (Where the Truth Lies) dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.

Budgeted at $8.9 million, Bonny Boys had director Jonathan Lynn (The Whole Nine Yards) attached, with the script by U.K. comedy writer John Docherty. It was to have shot in Saint John, St. Andrews, Moncton and Sussex, NB, as well as in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Once the casting issues have been resolved, the producers hope to remount the feature starting in Scotland in February, returning to New Brunswick in March, according to sources.

Bonny Boys is a script that has been bouncing around for a number of years, at one point to have been shot in Nova Scotia. It’s the story of a popular group of Celtic musicians reuniting long after their glory days have passed.